Tampon applicators are used to assist a woman in positioning a catamenial tampon into her vagina. Tampon applicators come in a variety of shapes and configurations. Many tampon applicators utilize two members telescopically assembled, wherein the first member is designed to contain a tampon and the second member is designed to expel the tampon from the first member. The first member or outer tube usually consists of a hollow tubular barrel connected to a smaller fingergrip portion having an opening formed therethrough. The second member or inner tube can be in the form of a solid stick or a hollow tube sized to slide within the opening formed in the fingergrip portion. The inner tube is designed to expel the tampon from the outer tube when pushed into the outer tube. Essentially all tampon applicators sold today have a straight, longitudinal central axis.
The apparatus and method of assembling an inner tube into the outer tube is fairly simple when both members have a straight, central axis. However, when both members have an arcuately shaped longitudinal central axis or when the radius of curvature of each longitudinal central axis is different, it becomes difficult to assemble the two members. The assembly is further complicated when the inner tube has an outer diameter which is just slightly less than the size of the opening formed in the fingergrip portion of the outer tube. Lastly, when the assembly is conducted at very fast line speeds, the task takes on enormous proportions. Up until now, no one has had to assemble two arcuately shaped hollow tubes at very high line speeds.
Now an apparatus and method have been developed which enables an inner tube to be assembled into a hollow outer tube to form a tampon applicator.